There Is No Recession in the Kingdom

Every day the headlines ratchet up news of worsening economic distress. The economic downward spiral began with mortgage failures, followed by oil prices soaring to all-time highs. Then food prices—tied closely to the fortunes of oil in terms of transportation costs and the increasing demand for biofuels—increased, followed by rising unemployment rates. Then historic flooding in the U.S. Midwest, the nation’s bread-basket, resulted in an estimated $3 billion in crop losses. Meanwhile the transport of corn, coal, and steel along the Mississippi River came to a standstill. Like a house of cards, the first card fell hitting the second card, which hit the next one, and so they continue to fall in on themselves.

Avoiding Knee-Jerk Responses

As the economic reality of the headlines filters into daily life, the knee-jerk response is to cut back on spending and to prepare for the hard times. As an avid news watcher, that was certainly my natural response. But as often happens, the natural response is not God’s response.

As believers, we are in the unique position of walking both on earth and in the Lord’s Kingdom—and, in the Kingdom, there is plenty, not want. God is unaffected by human affairs; and, in fact, the Kingdom economy prospers regardless of earthly events. And we are His agents on earth charged with advancing the Kingdom during our time here. That means that even in times of recession or depression, all we need will be provided from His vast storehouses to advance the Kingdom purposes.

We’re reminded to not see ourselves as being swept up in the tide of human events, but to see ourselves being solidly planted in the Kingdom.

Look at God, Not at the News

In short, God says to look at Him, not at the news. God will make all things right according to His divine purposes and in His time.

Advancing the Kingdom is the focus. When we think of recession and depression, the natural response is to think of our own current and potential needs. Life as we know it is changing, sometimes dramatically, but we have to remember that the Kingdom does not change. As we think about our needs, it’s important to know that He is faithful to provide.

And more important, we know that our needs are not separate from the work of advancing the Kingdom. In other words, there are not two sets of priorities—our priorities and God’s priorities. There is only one set of priorities—the priorities of the Kingdom. There is only one purpose in heaven and on earth—that the Father’s will be done. And when we focus on Kingdom priorities, then there are blessings aplenty to go around.

If we focus on earthly events, we can easily lose sight of the work of advancing the Kingdom. I did that, but the Lord reminded me to stop thinking of want and to start thinking of prosperity. He is able, He told me again, to provide for everything because He is the Creator of the universe. All things are in His control—and there is plenty, not want. Limitless. Infinite. Abundant.

As each of us work in our own way to advance the Kingdom, we should dream big Kingdom dreams and ask God to supply all that’s necessary to bring those dreams to reality.

We limit ourselves, and we limit God, when we think that there is not enough.